‘How’s Work going?’ report paints a troubling picture of the public sector

December 11, 2018 at 11:26 am

The Liberals are failing public sector workers. A 2017 survey entitled ‘How’s Work Going?’ paints a troubling picture of dissatisfaction and inadequate leadership in Nova Scotia’s public service.

The survey shows that government employees are dissatisfied when it comes to the working culture. Only nine out of the 25 departments scored a passing grade.

Today at a meeting of the Human Resources Committee, MLAs Brad Johns and Alana Paon will be asking Ms. Laura Lee Langley, Commissioner of the Public Service Commission, about the 2017 report and why so many employees gave poor ratings when asked their opinion on the way these departments are led.

“Encouraging continuous professional learning and growth in a work place is key to a well functioning public service. We need to promote a better working culture and make sure senior leadership is encouraging employees to succeed,” says Johns, committee member for Human Resources. “When employees are happy, they’re more productive, and when employees are productive, we achieve goals that move us forward as a province.”

Johns wonders why government isn’t striving for a better working environment.

“We know that successful companies work hard to make sure employees are happy in areas like senior leadership, staffing practices and professional growth. Making sure your workplace is a positive one is an essential component to long term success,” says Johns. “Businesses are continuously trying to evaluate how to have a better working culture, so why isn’t the government? When reading this report, it seems that many of the employees are not happy. This isn’t good for anyone.”

According to the report, vital departments within government such as Community Services, Environment, Health, Internal Services, Natural Resources, and Transportation reported that their employees were unhappy when it comes to feeling valued at work and the senior leadership in their departments.